High above Ballina in Cumbalum, Banyan Hill has been carefully planned to capture long views, coastal breezes and a calm, hillside character. The streets rise gently up from town, opening to outlooks across the coastline, river and cane fields, with homes oriented to make the most of the elevated setting.
Among the residents who now call this community home is caterer Leesa-Maree, who lives at Banyan Hill with her older daughter and her daughter’s fiancé. From her upstairs windows, she can watch ships move along the coast, spot whales in season and run a growing business from a home she is genuinely proud of.
“Banyan for me was about a new start,” she says. “I live in Banyan and I work from home in Banyan with my own catering business. It is a really special place to be able to do all of that.”
Why Banyan Hill felt like the right move
When Leesa-Maree started looking for somewhere to build, she wanted more than a convenient location. The character of the neighbourhood and the quality of the homes were just as important.
“I loved the fact that the building covenants had high quality,” she explains. “So I knew I was going to come somewhere that was not just your standard homes packed close to each other.”
Those guidelines gave her confidence that Banyan Hill would grow into a place with well-designed homes and streetscapes that felt cohesive rather than crowded. At the same time, the hillside setting and coastal outlook sealed the decision.
“To be able to look out and see whales, spouts, tankers, cruise liners going from one end of the coast to the other is just phenomenal,” she says. “And then when visitors come, you can also point out the Big Prawn, so that is a bonus.”
For her, Banyan Hill offered the right combination of design standards, views and everyday access to Ballina, beaches and local services.
Bringing the home to life with G.J. Gardner Homes
To turn her vision into reality, Leesa-Maree chose to build a two-storey family home with G.J. Gardner Homes.
“I built with G.J. Gardner Homes, and I just could not fault their work,” she says.
Early in the build, she had an accident that meant she could not safely climb a ladder to see the upper level while it was under construction. As the frame and roof went up, she had to trust the plans and the team without being able to stand upstairs and check the outlook for herself.
Her foreman, Dave, understood how much the view meant to her and made sure she would be the first to experience it properly.
“My foreman Dave rang me the day that the stairs went in and said, you need to come out,” she says. “I thought there was a problem.”
Instead, he was inviting her to see her home as it was intended to be lived in.
“I came up the stairs, and it was the first time that I saw the view,” Leesa-Maree says. “I was just like, this is amazing. He knew that it meant so much to me.”
Running Table Grayce from home
Life at Banyan Hill is also the base for Leesa-Maree’s catering business, Table Grayce.
Her focus is on wholesome, home-cooked food for people who need an extra hand, whether for a busy week or during a major life moment.
“If anybody is running short on time or they want to give a gift voucher to somebody who is convalescing, new mums, anything like that, they can get a gift voucher, and they get wholesome fresh home-cooked meals delivered to their door,” she explains.
Being able to run the business from home in a setting that feels calm and uplifting has become a key part of why Banyan Hill works so well for her.
A street that feels like family
For Leesa-Maree, the people around her are just as important as the house and the outlook.
“My favourite part of the Banyan community is that sense of family, especially in our streets,” she says. “We sort of text each other saying I have run out of tomatoes, or have you got an onion I can borrow?”
Small favours and quick messages have turned neighbours into friends.
“We are constantly running between each other’s houses with things,” she says. “You do not really need to go into town if you have forgotten something. It is a sense of community.”
That everyday support has helped her feel settled and reassured that she chose the right place to build her new chapter.
From fresh start to dream home
Looking back on the journey from choosing a lot to moving in, Leesa-Maree is clear about how she feels about the outcome.
“I still pinch myself that this isn’t a display home, because this is the dream,” she says.
What began as a search for a different way of living has become a home and business base that reflects what she values most: quality, outlook and a community that feels considered and connected.
To learn more about life at Banyan Hill or explore current opportunities, get in touch with the sales team here.
